Wednesday began with breakfast with these plates for Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150273 including the usual French fries along with fish and salad ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150274 that she began to eat ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150275 and this was my plate ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150276 and my vegetable juice ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150277 and the packaged seaweed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150278 before we went back for a second round ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150279 and bad tasting custard ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150280 with fruit ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150281 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150282 and rice with pickled plums ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150283 as I observed the buffet line ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150284 and took photos of Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150285 and myself ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150286 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150287 before we began the day by walking past the Kyoto Tower ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150288 and over to the river ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150289 where we couldn't decide if these people were removing the debris or fishing but some might say there is no difference ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150290 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150291 as the train passed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150292 and I recorded another license plate ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150293 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150294 and the sidewalk pattern ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150295 and the view down to the river ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150296 as Suzanne followed me ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150297 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150298 on our path to the shrine ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150299 and the store that had some Mickey Mouse things ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150300 before we reached the shrine Sanjûsan-gen Dô which was one of the more remarkable places we visited ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150301 but first I recorded the street sign ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150302 and the visiting hours ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150303 as we looked at the expanse of the building (there used to be an archery competition where arrows were fired the length of the building) ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150304 and then made our way in ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150305 through the visitor's entrance ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150306 as this group assembled ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150307 and we admired the doors before entering. This shrine was one of the most remarkable things we saw on our trip but unfortunately they would not allow any photographs of the 1000 statues each having 1000 arms (it takes some creative counting to get to the 1000 hands because you have to realize that one hand can do the work of 25, but the count of statues seems honest to me). ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150308 On exiting the museum, we explored the other buildings and the gardens where photography was allowed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150309 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150310 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150311 and took a flower picture ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150312 which came into better focus ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150313 and then the berries ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150314 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150315 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150316 and another long building in the vermilion we'd come to love with pillars ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150317 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150318 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150319 and doors ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150320 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150321 as Suzanne posed ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150322 and then I noted that I couldn't photograph ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150323 but could take this photo of the next building ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150324 and this of the supported tree ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150325 not to mention the reflection in the pond ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150326 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150327 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150328 and the shrine ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150329 with the bell to ring ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150330 except that it wasn't permitted to ring it ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150331 and so we took a few more photos of the overall structure ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150332 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150333 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150334 and the Inari Shrine which was going to bring us good luck ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150335 as Suzanne emulated the prayer experience ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150336 at this shrine ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150337 and then I did the same ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150338 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150339 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150340 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150341 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150342 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150343 and then we walked along the building ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150344 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150345 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150346 to their exhibit of luck charms each with its own purpose ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150347 as you can see here. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150348 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150349 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150350 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150351 ON our way back to the hotel, we passed this interesting sign at a storefront ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150352 and then a Japanese Circle K ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150353 and this man holding a menu ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150354 before we recorded this subway stop ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150355 and the man doing something in the river ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150356 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150357 as we passed another small shrine ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150358 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150359 by the first water we'd seen that had objects floating in it including this piece of fruit ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150360 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150361 and then after the gas station photos ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150362 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150363 and McDonald's photo ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150364 we were back at the station and ready to check out of our hotel. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150365 Later, we came back to Track 4 to catch the 12:33 train to Tokyo ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150366 and watched a bullet train come in on the next track ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150367 as we lined up for our car ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150368 and noted what other trains were scheduled ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150369 as our train approached ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150370 and we boarded ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150371 with our snacks ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150372 and sandwiches ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150373 and the other snack ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150374 with our tickets visible for the conductor though we had to use them to get out of the station at Tokyo (except for my odd Kyoto experience where I essentially jumped the turnstile) ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150375 and so we proceeded until we got to Tokyo and the Hotel Villa Fontaine where we settled, had a little rest and then headed out to dinner taking photos of landmarks along the way so that we could find our way back ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150376 and so this was the first sign on the elevated walkway that took us more than half the way to the Ginza district ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150377 and these were the neighboring buildings ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150378 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150379 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150380 and the traffic scene of Tokyo on many levels since they need to build vertically here for both commercial venues and people's transit. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150381 As we headed towards the Ginza, there was another obligatory phone booth picture ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150382 and these street scenes ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150383 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150384 before we saw these interesting windows and so did a bit of shopping. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150385 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150386 Next, we landed in a tapas bar where this was the menu ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150387 as Suzanne had sangria ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150388 and I had a high ball ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150389 before we chose some foods ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150390 and so they took a photo of the two of us saying kanpai ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150391 as more food came ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150392 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150393 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150394 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150395 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150396 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150397 before we headed back in the direction of our hotel and found a restaurant on the 47th floor of an adjoining building that gave us a tablet based menu in English ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150398 and remarkable views of the city. ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150399 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150400 ../../../Sabbat/2012/06.29-07.16.12Japan//P1150401